Folding table

ABSTRACT

A FOLDING TABLE HAVING OPERATING MEANS CONNECTING ALL FOUR FOLDING LEGS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT THEREOF. A DISK IS ROTATABLY CENTRALLY MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TABLE TOP AND CARRIES RADIALLY SPACED ARMS THAT ARE LINKED TO THE FOLDING LEGS BY BRACES FOR EXTENDING AND FOLDING THE LEGS IN RESPONSE TO THE ROTATION OF THE DISK. A MANUAL CONTROL LEVER OPERATES A RETRACTABLE SPRING-BIASED LOCKING PIN TO LOCK THE LEGS IN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITION. A SPRING ROTATES THE DISK TO ITS OPEN POSITION FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDING ALL FOUR LEGS WHEN THE LOCKING PIN IS RETRACTED, STABILIZING WEDGES ENGAGE THE DISK ARMS WHEN THE TABLE LEGS ARE EXTENDED.

March 23, 1971 L. s. JONES 3,572,262

. FOLDING TABLE Filed Feb. 20, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

5 FIG. 2

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INVENTOR. LEON S. JONES BY Wm ATTORNEYS March 23, 1971 L. s. JONES 3,572,262

I FOLDING TABLE Filed Feb. '20, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. LEON S. JONES BY M ZAUWM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,572,262 FOLDING TABLE Leon S. Jones, 1204 N. Church St., Richland Center, Wis. 53581 Filed Feb. 20, 1969, Ser. No. 801,059 Int. Cl. A47b 3/00 US. Cl. 108-126 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding table having operating means connecting all four folding legs for simultaneously controlling the movement thereof. A disk is rotatably centrally mounted on the underside of the table top and carries radially spaced arms that are linked to the folding legs by braces for extending and folding the legs in response to the rotation of the disk. A manual control lever operates a retractable spring-biased locking pin to lock the legs in open and closed position. A spring rotates the disk to its open position for automatically extending all four legs when the locking pin is retracted. Stabilizing wedges engage the disk arms when thetable legs are extended.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1) Field of the invention This invention relates to folding tables and more specifically to control mechanisms for simultaneously controlling the movement of the table legs.

(.2) Description of the prior art Folding tables, commonly known as card tables, have long been used as a quick and convenient means for providing temporary table space. Early models of card tables were unduly heavy and in many instances quite unstable. Although the weight and stability problems have been alleviated to some extent, the conventional folding type card table still has the disadvantage that each leg must be independently pivoted into its extended and folded positions. To improve this situation, another form of card table has been developed in which the legs are connected to a rotatable operator which simultaneously pivots all four legs into their extended or folded positions.

US. Pat. No. 1,240,964 (1917) is the best example of an early attempt to produce a table of this latter type. This patent shows four radially extending arms rotatably mounted on the underside of the table top with one arm extending through the side edge of the table top to serve as an operating lover. The arm serving as an operating lever is locked in position by a ratchet type mechanism. This system, while quite simple, is unstable because the radially extending arms are unsupported at their outer end.

Later versions of this type of folding table are shown in US. Pat. No. 2,707,139 (1955) and the patents cited therein.

While all of the aforementioned patents provide for the simultaneous folding and unfolding of the table legs with varying degrees of practical operation, the complexity of the operating mechanism make them expensive and, after a time, unreliable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, my invention comprises a folding card table wherein the movement of the legs may be automatically and simultaneously controled with fingertip action.

The table has a top and four folding legs which are connected to and operated by braces pivotally attached to radially extending arms carried by a rotating disk. The disk is centrally mounted on the underside of the table top for rotation between an open position wherein the table legs are extended and a closed position wherein the legs are folded parallel to the underside of the table top. A manual control lever at the side of the table operates a spring-biased locking pin which is adapted to be inserted into apertures in the rotating disk for locking the disk in its open and closed positions. Spring means rotate the disk from its closed position to its open position when the locking pin is retracted for automatically extending all four table legs simultaneously.

The outstanding features of my new folding table mechanism are its stability and simple construction which are reliable in operation.

Stability of my folding table is achieved because the outer ends of the radially extending operating arms ride onto wedge-shaped cams when the table legs are extended. This wedging action on the ends of the operating arms is unique in that it provides stability when the legs are in their extended position but yet permits free and quiet rotation of the arms during rotation to the open position.

Other objects, features and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment for exemplification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a table embodying my invention showing the legs in their folded position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the detail of the actuating and locking mechanism of the table 30 in retracted position.

i FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table shown in FIG. 1 with the operating disk rotated to its open position and the table legs extended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, the folding table embodying my invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The table has a top portion 111, the underside of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and four legs 12. The legs are attached at the corners of the table by pivot pins 13 in the conventional manner for pivotal movement between the folded position parallel to the underside of the table top, as shown in FIG. 1, and the extended position at right angles to the table top, as shown in FIG. 3.

An operating disk 14 is rotatably mounted at the center of the underside of the table top by a pivot pin 15. The disk has a pair of locking apertures formed in the edges thereof, the first aperture 1411 being provided for locking the disk in its closed position and the legs in their folded position. The second aperture 14b is provided for locking the disk in its open position and the legs in their extended position.

The disk carries four arms 16 which extend radially therefrom in spaced parallel relation to the underside of the table top. Four rigid braces 17 connect the outer ends of arms 16 with the folding legs .12. The braces are pivotally attached to the outer ends of the arms 16 and to the legs 12 below the pivot pins 13.

A locking pin 18 is mounted on the underside of the table by a pair of brackets 19. The pin is connected by a push rod 20 to a control lever 21 which is pivotally mounted in the side edge 22 of the table. The locking pin is urged by spring 23, which acts against one of the brackets 19 and a limiting block 24, toward its locking position in either of the apertures 14a or 14b. As shown in FIG. 2, the locking pin is retracted from the aperture for releasing the disk mechanism by liftin the control lever 21 against the bias of spring 23 with fingertip pressure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a main spring 25 is attached to one edge of the table and to the perimeter of disk 14 for automatically rotating the disk from its closed position wherein the table legs are folded as shown in FIG. 11 to its open position wherein the legs are in the extended position shown in FIG. 3.

Pour radially spaced wedges or earns 26 are mounted on the underside of the table top. The ends of the operating arms 16 ride onto these wedges as the disk rotates into its open position shown in FIG. 3. These wedges maintain the spacing between the arms and the underside of the table top to stabilize the operating arms when the table legs are extended. This construction in unique and most advantageous in that it permits unobstructed free and quiet rotation of the operating arms between the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and, yet maintains the extremities of the arms 16 in rigid relation for increased stability when the legs of the table are extended.

To simultaneously open all four legs of the table, the table is held in a vertical position with the side edge having the control lever therein on top. The control lever is pivoted with fingertip pressure thereby retracting the locking pins from aperture 14a. This releases the disk and the main spring rotates the disk into its open position shown in FIG. 3, thus, extending the legs of the table. When the aperture 14b comes into alignment with the locking pin, spring 23 moves the pin into aperture 14b for locking the legs in their extended position.

As previously mentioned, in this position the outer ends of the operating arms 16 are maintained in rigid relation by virtue of the wedging action of the cams 26 as best illustrated in FIG. 1.

To refold the table legs, the aforementioned operation is reversed. The control lever is again raised with one finger, thereby withdrawing the locking pin from aperture 14b and thus releasing the disk for rotation. Slight finger pressure on one of the table legs is then sufficient to close all four legs simultaneously against the tension of the main spring. When the disk reaches its closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring 23 automatically inserts the locking pin in aperture 14a, thus, locking the legs in their folded position shown in FIG. 1.

It is understood that my invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein specifically illustrated and described for exemplification, but embraces all equivalents thereof.

I claim:

1. In a table having a top and four folding legs, improved means connecting all four of said legs for simultaneously controlling the movement thereof, said means comprising:

(a) a disk rotatably and centrally mounted on the underside of the table top, said disk being rotatable between an open position wherein said legs are extended at right angles to said table top and a closed position wherein said legs are folded parallel to said table top,

(b) four arms fixedly attached to said disk for rotation therewith and extending radially therefrom in spaced relation to the underside of said table top,

(0) four braces connecting the ends of said arms with the folding legs of said table, said braces being pivotally attached to said arms and said legs,

(d) means for locking said disk in said open and closed positions (e) spring means for rotating said disk from said closed position to said open position when said locking means is released for simultaneously extending all the legs of said table, and

(f) four radially spaced wedges mounted on the underside of said table top and onto which said arms ride as the disk reaches said open position maintaining the spacing between said arms and the underside of said table top to stabilize said arms when said legs are extended.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,909,905 5/1933 Simmons 108--126 1,963,612 6/1934 Coffed 108126 2,022,345 11/1935 Hansen 108126 2,045,467 6/1936 Hiser 108126 2,067,775 1/1937 Mares 108126 2,088,772 8/1937 Stone 108-126 2,167,158 7/1939 Muehlberg 108126 2,184,500 12/1939 Knowles 108126 2,280,412 4/1942 Knowles 108126 2,303,228 11/1942 Overbey 108126 2,603,544 7/1952 Knowles l08-126 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R. 108-12 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 572.2 2 Dated March 23. 1971 nvent Leon S. Jones It is certified that error appears in the above-identified paten and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 25, substitute pin for "pins".

Column 3, line 34 substitute FIG. 3 for "FIG.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of September 197 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Pate 

